New Jersey Devils: 5 Deals To Win Trade Deadline

There have been some deals tying the Devils to Kieffer Bellows in a Kyle Palmieri deal, but that wouldn’t be the smartest move. Bellows has a lot of skill, and he could be really good in this league, but his value is low because he is incredibly inconsistent. He’s been shuffled between the NHL roster and the taxi squad this season, and it’s hard to think Barry Trotz will use him in the playoffs.

A player this franchise would love in the playoffs is Travis Zajac. He would bring excellent experience to the franchise, and like Andy Greene last season, there’s a good chance he would extend his time on the Island. Zajac brings a ton to the table, including penalty killing and clutch goal scoring, that the Islanders could really use in its bottom six. Would they love to use Bellows to get themselves a winger to replace Anders Lee? Sure, but who is out there that they can make work? Zajac is going to be hard enough to fit under the salary cap. Someone like Taylor Hall would be impossible.

There might be more pieces in this deal as Lou Lamoriello tries to use his wizardry to finagle the salary cap. However, he absolutely wants Zajac in the building.

As far as the Devils, they get a former 1st-round pick for a player that is likely moving on in the offseason. He has a no-trade clause, so the Devils are limited to who they can send him to. This would give him a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup, a locker room with longtime teammate Greene, and a coach in Trotz that has a ton of respect around the league. He would likely waive it, especially since it’s driving distance from his family.